Sun-splashed Sunday lineups: Twins/Royals

The Twins will send Carl Pavano to the mound today, trying to finish a three-game sweep of the Royals at Target Field.

Kansas City has lost 10 of its past 11 against Minnesota, including five in a row, dating to last year.

An absolutely perfect spring morning here at the new ballpark, as the Twins begin batting practice.

Update: The Twins have pushed Nick Blackburn's next start to Saturday, giving him an extra day of rest to deal with his right elbow issue. He's taking anti-inflammatory medication. The issue is in the back of his elbow, and he's dealt with it before.

Nick Punto (sore groin) feels better today, and was on the field for BP. Sounds like he'll be back in the lineup Tuesday against Cleveland.

Pat Neshek (strained flexor tendon right middle finger) also feels better today. With an off day Monday, it sounds like Punto and Neshek are gearing toward Tuesday returns.

Manager Ron Gardenhire hinted that Glen Perkins would be one of the first pitchers promoted from Class AAA Rochester if there's another need.

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Phil Miller covered three seasons of Twins baseball, but that was at a different ballpark for a different newspaper. Now Miller returns to the baseball beat after joining the Star Tribune as the Gopher football writer in 2010, and he won't miss the dingy dome for a minute. In addition to the Twins and Gophers, Miller covered the Utah Jazz and the NBA for six years at The Salt Lake Tribune.